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Underwater capability provider JFD Australia has celebrated the opening of a second advanced manufacturing and production facility in NSW.
The new centre of excellence at Caringbah in Sydney’s southern suburbs is set to replace smaller premises at nearby Kirrawee and will reportedly be the biggest purpose-built advanced manufacturing hub of its type in the Southern Hemisphere.
The Caringbah launch follows the recent opening of an advanced manufacturing centre at Beresfield near Newcastle from which the company produces, maintains and exports recompression chambers to navies worldwide.
JFD Australia already has its national headquarters in Perth and the two east coast centres are envisioned to support several domestic and international contracts including the ongoing maintenance of underwater life support equipment such as rebreathers and hyperbaric chambers to the Australian Defence Force for at least the next five years after JFD secured a major extension to its existing contract with the Royal Australian Navy.
“Nothing is more important to us than keeping Australia’s defence force personnel safe underwater, and so we’ve invested the capital needed into a fit-for-purpose facility here that allows us to continue this commitment well into the future,” JFD Australia managing director Cathy Falkiner said.
“We have specialist defence industry skills here and we will be adding to this by boosting our local workforce from 44 to 57 with new employment opportunities for highly-skilled tradespeople, engineers and specialised hyperbaric technicians.
“We are a proud member of Australia’s defence industry, creating local jobs, engaging with local supply chains and supporting local manufacturing.
“Our mission every day is to keep Australia’s and the world’s defence force personnel safe underwater.”
